Free Kentucky Republic
The Free Kentucky Republic is a post-war nation founded in 2093 in order to create a more unified Kentucky and better the lives of Kentuckian wastelanders. History Pre-War The FKR's area before the war was a part of the poverty-stricken and sparsely populated eastern region of Kentucky, highly unattractive to American citizens. It was also a part of the coal mining sector of the state, where a majority of funds and work came from. The Great War During the Great War, the region was greatly unaffected by the bombs, but the nuclear winter absolutely destroyed the locals. Those who survived lived more impoverished than they had before the bombs, most became raiders and chems became common. Founding By 2093, Henry Bevin, a settlement leader was sick of the destructive environment of East Kentucky. He developed the FKR from his settlement in McKee. Soon others joined with him and they formed a small confederation of settlements. They were now under the eye of multiple raider groups. The Raider Purges In 2094, Bevin feared destruction by raiders, and thus formed the Forest Boys. A militia of local settlers that really hated raiders. While the Forest Boys were efficient at defending caravans, settlements, and defeating small raider bands. They weren't strong nor popular enough to garner attention from other settlements. Bevin, in response, gathered a regiment of Forest Boys and attacked the Boomers, a large raider tribe. After a long and bloody battle, the Forest Boys were victorious. This resulted in more settlements joining on and the Forest Boys expanded, regularly taking on raider groups. Eventually the raider threat was marginalized and the alliance became a Republic. Consolidation In 2096, Bevin formed the official government of the Republic by writing up a constitution the best he could. He made the capital his settlement of McKee. He set up an elected council and appointed himself as Governor for life. He made the Forest Boys the official military arm of the Republic, and it's general the deputy Governor. This new strong government gave the settlements a sense of pride and unity. Bevin would spend the rest of his rule forming the structure of the nation. In 2108 he would start a long relationship with the city-state of Berea. Trading in goods and information of the wasteland. The new nation had connections to most of the Kentucky wasteland. He would die in 2112. Expansion and Coal Country Clay Conway was elected Governor in 2112, and was much more ambitious than his predecessor. He made his way expanding eastward, making it larger than a small strip of settlements. Using the awe inspiring might (really lack of) of the Forest Boys and simple negotiations, the Republic soon brushed coal country. Conway assumed that the mountainous region would have few people if any. He sent the Forest Boys to scout it out, and find coal to power the nation. The Forest boys found each storage station and mine had a settlement surrounding it. They responded by opening fire and taking any coal they can, immediately starting a conflict between the two. A second expedition, a more cautious and careful band, found the Canaries. This group, instead of firing upon the ghouls, opened negotiations. They began to trade with multiple Canary groups across coal country. To this day, coal country settlements and the FKR are known enemies, the FKR constantly raiding them for the energy source. The nation still maintains great relationships with Canaries, although. The Infrastructure Reforms Conway died in 2136, and the next elected Governor Matt Gray had a whole new expansion to deal with. New decrepit roads, raiders, and settlements. Gray's rule was spent cleaning up Conway's mess. Taking out larger raider tribes, adding settlements to the council. He soon saw that the Republic was spread out, sending news and messages would become difficult. So he developed the "Free Kentucky Radio." A radio station broadcasting national news and propaganda. Gray died in 2157 to a stable Republic. Introduction of Slaves Muse Roy was elected in 2157, he wanted the average citizen of the Republic to do more. He wanted specialization beyond farmers, soldiers, and politicians. He decided that slavery would be the best way through this. Making some deals with slavers further north, he passed a law declaring slavery legal. Multiple settlements jumped on top of it, buying slaves at the dozen. While a popular legislation, it did have it's disapproval. Roy was assassinated in 2161 by extremist abolitionists. The Long Reign of Jackson Lakes and the Second Raider Wave Jackson Lakes was hastily elected in 2161 at the age of 18. He began his rule loosening the borders and refreshing the relatively boring Free Kentucky Radio. He had it broadcast pre-war and post-war music, glorious advertisements of the nations stability and beauty. History was also broadcast, events like the conflicts with coal country and the Raider Purges. This gave way for raiders to strive for the Republic and all it's goods inside. This caused raiders to run rampant through the country. Holding up in the shacks and buildings of the long dead raider tribes before them. Lakes had to increase expenses in the Forest Boys to remove the raiders. When the raider tribes were finally diminished, Lakes set up checkpoints along the border. After that, he became unpopular with the country. He made it up by conducting relations with The Racetrack, a new hub in the Lexington wasteland in 2188. This allowed the flow of more slaves, and more information. A new flood of culture came, books were written and music was made. New radio plays came into fruition. All because the slaves were doing the work. It was nearly a golden age for the Republic. Lakes' rule maintained steadiness until 2217 when Berea shut down and killed all foreign wastelanders inside, including Kentuckians. Lakes was outraged and attempted to get the Forest Boys to attack the somewhat distant city. His dreams would never come as he would die in 2219 at age 76 to a 58 year rule. The Slew of Governors After the death of Jackson Lakes, Shane Shelby was controversially elected after claiming to be the "dictator this nation deserves." They were immediately shot by Thomas Morehead, a councilman from Corbin who appointed himself as Governor. He only got this phrase out of his speech, "I am the Republic, I keep the votes going, I killed the tyranny. A new age as Lakes would have wanted it. Glory to Kentu-" He was immediately shot by a Forest Boy who was quoted "bored and irritated." Afterward an official election occurred and Lazarus Helm was inducted as Governor in 2219. The Failed Coal Campaign Helm claimed that constantly raiding coal country for a source of power was too expensive and inefficient. He gathered every Forest Boy who was willing, calling it a "full scale invasion for the glory of the Republic." He lead his Forest Boys deep into the mountains, ready to take key settlements that held coal. The problem was a large Forest Boy force were rendered weak as they were at their best in the trees with guerrilla tactics. A full on settlement assault in the mountains was different from a coal raid. This was exemplified in the Battle of Prestonsburg. Prestonsburg was a very prominent coal settlement. Helm's Forest Boys went on a full assault on the settlement's walls. The simple soldiers did not have trees to hide in, and were fired upon like tin cans. Helm was shot in the chest and what was left of the army retreated, a harrowing defeat. Back home Helm was pestered for his incompetence. The rest of his rule was left simply keeping the Republic stable, with his chest wound constantly haunting him. He would die restlessly in 2232. Attacks From Berea J.C. Goebel was the next Governor elect. It started simple, the 2230's not giving him much to work with. The 2240's started with a bang. A report that London had been raided by very American military-like men claiming to be apart of the "Berea Dominion." Goebel was outraged and enforced the checkpoints, and sent a diplomat to the city. The diplomat never returned and Annville was raided. Goebel did not want to send the Forest Boys to Berea itself, although. He didn't want a repeat of Prestonsburg. He instructed Forest Boys to stay around their settlement, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Three failed attacks on McKee, Jackson, and Mt. Vernon occurred. After that Berea weened off, simply attacking forts or much smaller farms. Goebel spent the rest of his time paranoid of a large scale Berea attack. Making multiple reforms on city walls and the Forest Boys. He died in 2259. Coal Country's Failed Invasion George Collins was the next governor elected in 2260, and it came with a power shortage. Settlements in the farther reaches of the Republic complained of shrinking coal reserves. Collins extended Forest Boy raids in coal country, making sure to avoid their Canary friends. This naturally aggravated the settlers. They formed a loose alliance and attempted to invade the FKR. Collins thought this a weak attempt at redemption. The Forest Boys in their natural habitat destroyed the coal country alliance. Most coal settlements hung their heads in shame and allowed the increased raids. Collins spent the rest of his time peacefully, under the recline of his coal powered home, he died in 2280. Election of Nathan Boone and Present Day Nathan Boone, a sixteen year old boy, was elected Governor. Quite the controversial pick, his youthful charm and ambition led him to a landslide victory. His rule began quickly, with the Grand Rounded Economy plan centralizing all Republican cap flow into government regulation, allowing him to take control of the citizens directly. He then battled the council on the Old Kentucky Home plan, an ultimate war for the fate of the region. Once passed he officially declared the Republican Expansionist War on Berea, Racetrack, and coal country. There it transformed into a grinding stalemate on both fronts. He now rules an ultimate war machine nation, hoping to overcome the locked conflict. Culture Citizens consider themselves the last hope for the Kentucky wasteland, citing any other groups or factions as not true to the goal of unifying the region, or just inherently evil. Any citizen is expected to own at least one slave to do farming and other labor in the community, so the free man can focus on more important things. Things like books and music, hallmarks of the Republic. Most musical or literature influences come from large centers of the nation, settlements like McKee, London, or Willamsburg. Politics is also another important vein in the Republic. Young men of a certain wealthy and educational state attempt to journey to McKee in hopes of election to high positions, or even as Governor. Those who stay get involved in local politics, become local Forest Boy leaders or mayors. Government The government of the FKR is a strange construction based on Bevin's loose knowledge of Kentucky and American government. There is a single elected council, one council man for each settlement with more than 500 people. There is also an elected Governor, who controls the nation and rules until death. The general of the Forest Boys is appointed by the Governor, and also serves as the Deputy Governor. Every settlement has an elected mayor, with an optional council. Each settlement is required to recruit a troop of Forest Boys to protect the people, and sometimes be gathered for coal raids or major campaigns. Every Forest Boy is required a pipe rifle and a green outfit, a form of camouflage and uniform. Sustainability and Environment Food and Energy Most major settlements in the Republic are located in flat plains in between the hills, giving prime usage for farming. They farm most mutated plants and hunt for local wildlife like Coackatrices. Energy in the Republic is entirely surrounded by coal, usually traded with Canaries or raided from human coal settlements in coal country. Flora The plant life of Kentucky consist mostly of rough or dead grass as the wasteland persists, but with maintained thick forests. Winding trees that are relatively green enough to make it feel like a breath of fresh air. There are some wild flowers and foods, such as mutfruit and other common edibles. Quotes By About Category:Groups